Abstract: Disclosed is a heating system for heating metal products in an oscillating induction furnace and a method of operation of the heating system. The heating system includes an oscillating induction furnace that in turn comprises a plurality of induction coils interspersed with a plurality of rollers. The metal products are oscillated within the induction coils on the plurality of rollers until heated to a target temperature. A logic device determines the power to be supplied to the induction coils, the number and speed of oscillation passes to conduct, the duration of time to be spent in the oscillating induction furnace, and the loading arrangement of the metal products within the oscillating induction furnace if two or more metal products are to be heated together in the oscillating induction furnace. The power supplied to the initial and final induction coils is metered by the logic device according to the proximity of the metal product to the initial and final induction coils.

Abstract: A shape meter for measuring the deviation from flatness of a moving rolled steel plate is disclosed. The shape meter includes a laser source for generating an illuminated spot on the steel plate. The laser spot must be separable or distinguishable from background radiation emitted by the steel plate. For instance, if the steel plate is hot and the laser source is an argon laser generating blue green light, the optical filter must pass the blue green light and filter the red thermal emissions. The laser light is directed onto the moving steel plate, and a detector measures the light scattered from the steel plate. The detector includes an optical filter, an optical lens, and a lateral effect diode sensor. A computer then calculates and reports the deviation from flatness of the moving rolled steel plate based on the scattered light measured with the lateral effect diode sensor.